昆虫消化酶抑制剂与害虫防治

生物源昆虫消化酶抑制剂主要包括蛋白酶抑制剂和淀粉酶抑制剂。昆虫消化酶抑制剂能通过降低或抑制昆虫蛋白酶或淀粉酶的活性,而影响昆虫的正常生长发育,使其生长缓慢,虚弱,甚至导致死亡。本文就生物源昆虫消化酶抑制剂对昆虫生化、生理代谢和生长发育的影响,消化酶抑制剂的作用机理,植物中昆虫消化酶抑制剂的诱导产生等进行了介绍。同时,探讨了生物源蛋白酶和淀粉酶抑制剂在害虫防治中的应用前景。     

植物蛋白酶抑制剂在植物抗虫与抗病中的作用

综述了植物蛋白酶抑制剂抗虫与抗病作用的研究进展.蛋白酶抑制剂广泛存在于植物体内,与植物抗虫抗病密切相关.植物蛋白酶抑制剂能抑制昆虫肠道蛋白酶,使昆虫生长发育缓慢,甚至死亡.但取食蛋白酶抑制剂后,昆虫能迅速分泌对抑制剂不敏感的蛋白酶,而使蛋白酶抑制剂无效.食物蛋白的含量和质量也影响植物蛋白酶抑制剂的抗虫效果.病原菌的感染能诱导植物产生蛋白酶抑制剂,诱导产生的蛋白酶抑制剂能抑制病原菌的生长.     

家蚕丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂Bmserpin2对酚氧化酶原激活和抗菌肽基因表达的抑制作用

【目的】丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂家族蛋白是昆虫中调控自身免疫反应的重要蛋白酶抑制剂,本研究旨在研究家蚕Bombyx mori丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂2(Bmserpin2)在家蚕2个重要的自身免疫通路即酚氧化酶原(prophenol oxidase, PPO)激活通路和革兰氏阳性菌诱导抗菌肽的TOLL通路中的调控作用。【方法】PCR扩增家蚕Bmserpin2基因片段后原核表达并通过镍柱纯化。利用纯化后的重组Bmserpin2蛋白分别与胰蛋白酶、胰凝乳蛋白酶、弹性蛋白酶和蛋白酶K反应,检测Bmserpin2对上述蛋白酶活性的影响。通过RT-qPCR检测Bmserpin2在家蚕5龄第3天幼虫头、中肠、脂肪体、血淋巴、丝腺和表皮组织中表达的模式。往家蚕5龄第3天幼虫注射Bmserpin2重组蛋白,检测Bmserpin2对其血淋巴中PPO活性的影响。通过滕黄微球菌Micrococcus luteus诱导家蚕5龄第3天幼虫产生抗菌肽并注射Bmserpin2重组蛋白后,RT-qPCR检测其血淋巴中抗菌肽基因gloverin2和moricin表达量。【结果】成功构建重组质粒并表达纯化目的蛋白Bmserpin2。通过与不同蛋白酶反应得出Bmserpin2可极显著抑制消化酶胰蛋白酶和弹性蛋白酶活性,对胰凝乳蛋白酶和蛋白酶K活性影响不显著,提示Bmserpin2对不同蛋白酶具有生物学活性和催化特异性。基因表达模式显示Bmserpin2在家蚕5龄幼虫血淋巴和脂肪体中表达量最高。家蚕5龄幼虫注射重组Bmserpin2蛋白后发现目的蛋白能有效抑制血淋巴中PPO活性。利用滕黄微球菌诱导家蚕5龄幼虫产生抗菌肽后,滕黄微球菌和Bmserpin2混合注射组中血淋巴中抗菌肽基因gloverin2和moricin的转录表达与只注射滕黄微球菌的比较被显著下调。【结论】Bmserpin2可能参与家蚕酚氧化酶原激活和TOLL途径的胞外级联反应的免疫通路。     

鳞翅目昆虫抗病毒免疫反应的研究进展

鳞翅目昆虫种类繁多,对农业生产和人类生活产生重大影响,宿主昆虫与病毒相互关系的研究对于利用病毒杀虫剂进行害虫治理和益虫病毒性疾病的预防具有重要意义.因此,鳞翅目昆虫与病毒的互作研究显得尤为重要,宿主昆虫的免疫系统在抗病毒感染过程中发挥着关键作用,对病毒产生不同程度的免疫反应.本文综述了昆虫围食膜和中肠对病毒入侵的防御作用,病毒进入体腔后昆虫所产生的细胞免疫和体液免疫反应,以及RNAi、细胞的自噬与凋亡、Toll、Imd、JAK-STAT和STING信号通路等相关的抗病毒免疫途径,并对昆虫抗病毒免疫研究的制约因素和未来鳞翅目昆虫抗病毒免疫的研究重点进行了讨论,以期为害虫的生物防治和益虫疾病的防控提供理论依据.     

昆虫天然免疫反应研究前沿

昆虫天然免疫反应分为体液免疫和细胞免疫两种,二者共同作用抵御细菌、真菌、病毒等外源病原物的侵染。体液免疫反应主要包括黑色素形成和抗菌肽产生两种机制,细胞免疫反应包括吞噬、集结和包囊等作用类型。在昆虫天然免疫反应中,昆虫模式识别蛋白负责识别并结合外源物表面特有的模式分子,丝氨酸蛋白酶、丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂、各种配体、受体等负责级联信号途径的激活和调控,抗菌肽、黑色素等效应分子则负责对入侵物的杀灭和清除。本文根据国外和作者自己的研究,综述了昆虫天然免疫反应的研究进展,并针对该领域最新的研究动态展望了昆虫肠道免疫、昆虫免疫致敏以及不完全变态昆虫免疫学等这些研究前沿。     

昆虫对植物蛋白酶抑制素的诱导及适应机制

植物蛋白酶抑制素是植物重要的防御物质之一,一般是分子量较小的多肽或蛋白质,能够与昆虫消化道内的蛋白酶形成复合物,阻断或削弱蛋白酶对食物中蛋白的水解,使昆虫厌食或消化不良而致死。植物蛋白酶抑制素在植物体内一般是诱导表达的,昆虫取食危害后,导致某些植物在伤口产生一种寡聚糖信息素-蛋白酶抑制素诱导因子,蛋白酶抑制素诱导因子诱导叶片局部产生植物蛋白酶抑制素,并刺激产生信号物质系统肽,通过十八烷酸途径在一系列酶的作用下产生茉莉酸,茉莉酸与受体结合,活化植物蛋白酶抑制素基因。昆虫在长期取食植物蛋白酶抑制素后会在生理及行为上产生适应性而导致不敏感,适应方式主要包括：(1)改变肠道蛋白酶对蛋白酶抑制素的敏感性;(2) 水解蛋白酶抑制素;(3)过量取食及干扰产生蛋白酶抑制素的信号通道。由于昆虫能够对植物蛋白酶抑制素产生适应,因此合理利用植物蛋白酶抑制素的抗虫作用显得十分重要。     

PI3K和受体型酪氨酸激酶介导家蚕麻痹肽免疫诱导信号的传递

【目的】普遍存在于鳞翅目昆虫中的ENF肽具有非常相似的结构和生理功能, 对昆虫的发育、 免疫、 应激反应等方面都起着重要的调控作用。有研究报道, 作为ENF肽家族成员之一的家蚕Bombyx mori麻痹肽（paralytic peptide, PP）通过激活MAPK来调控家蚕的免疫应答, 但其完整的分子作用机制尚不明确。本研究旨在解析传递家蚕PP免疫诱导信号的分子通路。【方法】首先通过荧光定量PCR检测了多种昆虫细胞系在PP诱导下抗菌肽基因的转录水平, 并利用Western blot检测p38 MAPK的磷酸化水平, 然后利用不同信号传递分子的抑制剂处理BmE细胞筛选参与传递PP免疫诱导信号的分子。【结果】PI3K抑制剂LY294002和受体型酪酸激酶抑制剂Genistein抑制了PP对BmE细胞抗菌肽基因表达的诱导作用; 且BmE细胞和家蚕血细胞在PP的诱导下, Akt和大小约为70 kDa的细胞膜蛋白均出现磷酸化水平的动态变化。【结论】PI3K/Akt信号通路和Genistein敏感性的受体型酪氨酸激酶介导了PP免疫诱导信号的传递。     

激素和限食处理对家蚕SPs与Serpins基因表达的影响

【目的】为了调查激素和限食处理对家蚕幼虫丝氨酸蛋白酶(SPs)与丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂(Serpins)基因表达的影响。【方法】使用RT-PCR、实时定量PCR以及Western-blot的方法研究了部分SPs、Serpins基因在m RNA和蛋白质水平上的表达情况,以及20-羟基蜕皮酮(20-hydroxyecdysone,20E)、保幼激素类似物(JHA)和限食处理后SPs与Serpins家族基因的变化。【结果】调查的基因在m RNA和蛋白质水平上的表达情况一致,SPs基因在中肠中特异表达,5龄中期达到顶峰,而Serpins基因主要在丝腺中表达,5龄中后期的表达较高;20E处理5龄3日家蚕幼虫,SPs和Serpins基因呈现不同的调控趋势,JHA对这两类基因的表达具有类似的正调控作用,激素对基因的调控主要与发育时期及激素剂量有关;Spi1基因在幼虫饥饿处理后出现下调比Spp晚,暗示Serpins受取食的直接影响比SPs慢,也说明了食物供需对丝腺的反应迟于对中肠的影响。SPs和Serpins基因的这种组织表达特异性,为它们参与相应组织中的特异性转录调控提供了佐证,而发育时期表达差异和激素及限食处理后调控变化体现了基因执行功能上的时序性和特殊性。【结论】家蚕丝物质合成效率与SPs及Serpins基因在m RNA和蛋白水平上的表达有关,这将有助于更好地理解家蚕丝物质形成和积累的调控机理。     

球孢白僵菌凝乳弹性蛋白酶(BbPr1)的纯化与特性*

以几丁质为底物,加入基本盐培养基中,诱导球孢白僵菌（Beauveriabassiana）产生分解昆虫表皮的蛋白酶。诱导物中,蝉蜕诱导的蛋白酶总活性、比活较高,经超滤、离子交换层析、亲和层析、制备性IEF电洗脱纯化了一种有凝乳弹性蛋白酶（Pr1）活性的蛋白酶BbPr1。经SDS－PAGE电泳银染后是单带,HPLC凝胶过滤显示单峰。BbPr1为单体酶,分子量为33.6kD左右,pI为7.4。底物专一性测定显示,BbPr1能水解Phe或Leu形成的酸胺键和肽键。BbPrl可被PMSF抑制,表明其活性中心有Ser残基;BbPr1还可被胰凝乳蛋白酶抑制剂TPCK和凝乳弹性蛋白酶抑制剂TEI等所抑制;胰蛋白酶抑制剂beupeptin和Epianstatin,及胃蛋白酶抑制剂Pepstain对BbPr1活性无影响。还研究了BbPr1的最适作用pH和pH稳定性。     

泛素-蛋白酶体系统在昆虫先天免疫中的调控作用

完善的先天免疫系统使得昆虫成为分布最广、适应性最强、物种多样性最丰富的动物类群。在长期的进化过程中,昆虫建立了一套安全有效的先天免疫系统,一方面在面对外界微生物攻击的时候及时有效的发生免疫应答反应;另一方面通过免疫抑制来调控适度免疫应答,避免对自身发动攻击和控制环境共生菌刺激引起的免疫应答信号通路的持续激活。泛素-蛋白酶体系统在昆虫先天免疫中具有重要的调控作用,在Toll和IMD信号通路中,通过对免疫应答通路中信号分子的泛素化修饰加工,促进或抑制抗菌肽的表达,从而使免疫反应达到一个平衡。本文通过对泛素-蛋白酶体系统在Toll和IMD信号通路中的免疫应答和免疫抑制方面的研究进行综述,阐明了该系统在昆虫先天免疫中的调控作用,将有助于开展农业害虫与其天敌之间相互关系的深入研究,揭示其免疫调控机理,为开发生物农药,进行生物防控提供理论依据。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.